This invention relates to an outside mirror for a vehicle which sustains a clear rear view in spite of foreign substances such as rain drops, ice and frost.
Referring to FIG. 8, a conventional outside mirror will be explained. By way of example, Japanese Utility Model Laid Open Application No. 01-113069 published on Jul. 28, 1989, discloses such a conventional outside mirror. The outside mirror includes a mirror member 104, a supporting member 105 fixed to the mirror member 104 by a connecting member 151, and a piezoelectric vibrator 102 fixed to the supporting member 105. The connecting member 151 provides a space between the supporting member 105 and the mirror member 104. The mirror member 104 can be resonated by oscillating the vibrator 102 and the supporting member 105. Rain drops, ice, frost, and other foreign substances can be removed from the mirror member 104 due to the resonance vibration on the mirror member 104.
However, in the conventional outside mirror, if the supporting member 105 is made from an undesirable material, the supporting member 105 may stress the mirror member 104 due to variations in temperature. If the stress from the supporting member 105 is transferred to the mirror number 104, the reflecting image may be distorted.
Further, if the supporting member 105 is made from an undesirable material, the supporting member 105 may absorb oscillations of the vibrator 102. If the supporting member 105 absorbs the oscillations of the vibrator 102, rain drops, ice, frost or other foreign substances cannot be quickly removed from the mirror member 104.